Found 2 items, similar to powder monkey.
English → English (WordNet)
Definition: powder monkey
powder monkey
n : someone who carries explosives (as from the magazine to the
guns on board a warship)
English → English (gcide)
Definition: Powder monkey
Powder
\Pow"der\, n. [OE. poudre, pouldre, F. poudre, OF. also
poldre, puldre, L. pulvis, pulveris: cf. pollen fine flour,
mill dust, E. pollen. Cf.
Polverine,
Pulverize.]
1. The fine particles to which any dry substance is reduced
by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or into which it
falls by decay; dust.
[1913 Webster]
Grind their bones to powder small. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.;
gunpowder. See
Gunpowder.
[1913 Webster]
Atlas powder,
Baking powder, etc. See under
Atlas,
Baking, etc.
Powder down (Zo["o]l.), the peculiar dust, or exfoliation,
of powder-down feathers.
Powder-down feather (Zo["o]l.), one of a peculiar kind of
modified feathers which sometimes form patches on certain
parts of some birds. They have a greasy texture and a
scaly exfoliation.
Powder-down patch (Zo["o]l.), a tuft or patch of
powder-down feathers.
Powder hose, a tube of strong linen, about an inch in
diameter, filled with powder and used in firing mines.
--Farrow.
Powder hoy (Naut.), a vessel specially fitted to carry
powder for the supply of war ships. They are usually
painted red and carry a red flag.
Powder magazine, or
Powder room. See
Magazine, 2.
Powder mine, a mine exploded by gunpowder. See
Mine.
Powder monkey (Naut.), a boy formerly employed on war
vessels to carry powder; a powder boy.
Powder post. See
Dry rot, under
Dry.
Powder puff. See
Puff, n.
[1913 Webster]